ISLAMABAD, Oct 1: A three-judge bench of Supreme Court will take up the petition of J. Salik, a former MNA, for the correction of the electoral laws under which no independent minority candidate could contest the reserved seats for minorities.

The SC bench will comprise Chief Justice Shaikh Riaz, Justice Mian Mohammad Ajmal, and Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi.

Salik, in his constitutional petition stated that the recent amendments in the election laws had deprived the minorities of their rights, whereby, any citizen could contest the reserved seats as an independent candidate.

He stated that the amendments have barred the minorities from contesting the reserved seats and they could not contest the reserved seats for minorities as well, unless there are members of some political party.—Staff Reporter